Self-adjusting ham clamp



May 21, 1957 .F. LEAL SELF ADJUSTING HAM CLAMP Filed April 15, 1955 I /9 2 i 24 V I 52 s kg): 50 g/ 1 l INVENTOR.

F'RSQ L-EAL- ATTO RN EYS nited States Patfiflt r SELF-ADJUSTING HAM CLAMP Fred Leal, Denver, Colo.

Application April 15, 1955, Serial No. 501,517

2 Claims. (Cl. 146-218) This invention relates to support devices for food articles, and particularly to an improved device for holding a ham in proper position for skinning same.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved self-adjusting holder for supporting a ham in a substantially horizontal position so that the ham may be skinned, the improved holder being simple in construction, being relatively compact in size, and being self-adjusting to conform with variations in the shape of hams to be supported therein, while at the same time securely gripping the hams so that they are firmly supported while being skinned.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved support device for holding a ham in a substantially horizontal position while it is skinned, said device being inexpensive to manufacture, being sturdy in construction, being easy to clean, and providing an efficient and dependable means for holding a ham while it is being skinned, whereby an operator may greatly increase his rate of processing of hams by enabling the operator to rapidly insert a ham to be skinned and to rapidly remove same after the skinning operation is completed.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of an improved support device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the improved ham supporting device is designated generally at 11 and comprises an upstanding arched bracket 12 which is secured in any desired position to a suitable horizontal supporting surface 13, as by suitable screws or similar fasteners 14 engaged through respective inturned foot flanges 15, 15 provided on the legs 16, 16 of the arched bracket 12.

As shown, the bracket 12 is of substantial width and thus has substantial rigidity.

Secured to the upper portions of the respective legs 16, 16 of the arched bracket 12, on the inside of said arched bracket are the respective parallel, rearwardly extending arms 17, 17, the legs 16, 16 being substantially vertical and parallel to each other, whereby the arms 17, 17 are also located in vertical planes, parallel to each other. The rear ends of the arms 17, 17 are formed with the respective opposing pairs of inwardly projecting horizontal top and bottom lugs 18, 18 through which are secured respective vertical pivot bolts 19. Designated at 2t), 20 are respective clamping arms which are formed at their rear ends with the pivot sleeves 21 respectively receiving the pivot bolts 19, whereby the arms 20, 20 are pivotally connected between the respective pairs of lugs 18, 18 for rotation around the vertical axes of the pivot bolts 19, the clamping arms 20 being disposed 2,792,866 Patented May 21, 1957 2 inside the arch member 12 and extending forwardly therethrough. As shown in Figure 2, the clamping arms 20 are formed at their forward ends with the arcuately curved, outwardly flaring end portions 24, 24 facilitating the insertion of the shank portion of a ham 25 therebetween. a

The clamping arms 20 are biased inwardly by respective coiled springs 25, 25 supported on respective bolt members 26, 26 extending through the intermediate portions of the clamping arms and through the plate-like members 17, as is clearly shown in Figure 2, the bolts 26 being provided at their outer ends with the retaining nuts 27.

The top rear corner portions of the members 17, 17 are connected by a transversely extending, horizontal pivot pin 28. Designated at 29 is a top clamping arm'formed at its rear end with a sleeve portion 30 which receives the pivot pin 28, whereby the clamping arm 29 is pivoted for rotation around the transverse horizontal axis defined by the pivot pin 28. The arm 29 is substantially coextensive in length with the arms 20, 20 and extends through the upper portion of the arched bracket 12, the top arm 29 being formed at its forward end with the upwardly and forwardly curved member 32, similar to the arcuately curved outer end portions 24 of the arms 20, 20. The upper clamping arm 29 is biased downwardly by a coiled spring 33 which surrounds a bolt 34 extending through the intermediate portion of the arm 29 and the bight portion of the arched bracket 12, said bolt being provided at its upper portion with the retaining nut 35.

As will be readily apparent, the arms 20, 20 and 29 are so arranged that they define a receptacle open at the bottom and open at one end, the outwardly curved, mutually divergent forward end portions 24, 24 and 32 of the arms 20, 20 and 29 defining the open end of the receptacle and being shaped to receive the shank portion of a ham and to grippingly engage said shank portion to support the ham in a horizontal position, shown in dotted view in Figure 3. The normal spacing between the curved forward ends of the clamping arms 26, 20 and 29 may be adjusted by adjusting the retaining nuts 27 and 35 on the respective bolts 26 and 34. However, under ordinary conditions, the device is self-adjusting to receive a wide range of sizes of ham shanks and to clampingly engage said shanks to support the hams in horizontal positions suitable for the skinning of the hams. Thus, an operator may rapidly insert the shank of a ham in the device so that the ham is properly supported for skinning, may rapidly skin the ham, may rapidly remove the skinned ham and insert the next ham with a minimum amount of effort and without requiring adjustment of the device for each ham inserted.

It will be understood that the hams are skinned by the use of a draw knife or similar implement, and that to perform the skinning operation, the hams must be supported in horizontal positions, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

While a specific embodiment of an improved support for holding a ham in a substantially horizontal position for skinning has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A support for holding a ham in a substantially horizontal position for skinning comprising an upstanding arched bracket member having side legs and a bight portion connecting said legs, respective arms rigidly secured to said legs and extending rearwardly therefrom in substantially parallel relationship, respective clamping arms pivoted to the rear ends of said first-named arms inside said bracket member for rotation around vertical axes, a further clamping arm pivoted to the rear ends of said first-named arms for rotation around a horizontal axis transverse to said first-named arms, said clamping arms defining a receptacle open at the bottom and open at one end for insertion through the open end of a shank portion of a ham and holding such shank portion, and spring means biasing said clamping arms inwardly of said receptacle.

2. A support for holding a ham in a substantially horizontal position for skinning comprising an upstanding arched bracket member having side legs and a bight portion connecting said legs, respective arms rigidly secured to said legs and extending rearwardly therefrom in substantially parallel relationship, respective clamping arms pivoted to the rear ends of said first-named arms inside said bracket member for rotation around vertical axes, a further clamping arm pivoted to the rear ends of said first-named arms for rotation around a horizontal axis transverse to said first-named arms, said clamping arms defining a receptacle open at the bottom and open at one end for insertion through the open end of a shank portion of a ham and holding such shank portion, and respective adjustable spring means acting between the first-named clamping arms and said rigidly secured arms and between said last-named clamping arms and said bight portion, biasing said clamping arms inwardly of said receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 559,543 Sexton May 5, 1896 1,042,898 Eastman Oct. 29, 1912 1,404,436 Giroux Jan. 24, 1922 1,729,624 Meier Oct. 1, 1929 

